An Unhappy Illness
by hippogriff-tamer
Summary: Fitzwilliam Darcy was usually a healthy man, but there are some illnesses he can't avoid...


**A/N **_This is my second P&P story..I was inspired after watching it this past weekend...This is also my first time using the first person POV...thanks to **H6p8gv **for telling me his thoughts on this story...I do not own any of the characters...I hope that you'll enjoy!_

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I sat down next to my silent husband. He was sleeping comfortably after a long restless night fraught with a high fever. His limbs had thrashed around him as he talked during the minutes when he did calm down enough to sleep.

"Lizzie it isn't wise for you to be so close to him while he's ill. You could end up catching it."

I looked up to find Jane in the doorway. She tried to hide her worried expression but I knew that she wanted Fitzwilliam to be healthy again as much as I did.

"I've never seen him this sick before Jane. We've barely been married a year. What if he gets worse?" Tears began to stream down my already stained cheeks.

"He won't. Dr. Fields will make sure of that. But now dear sister please come downstairs and try to eat something. You'll hardly do any good to Mr. Darcy if you neglect your own needs," she said coming up to me and handing me a handkerchief.

I took it and wiped away my tears before nodding. Jane did have a valid point. I stood and with one last look at the peaceful form of Fitzwilliam I followed my sister to the kitchen where a plate full of sandwiches sat. I took one and nibbled it. Jane seemed to relax now that I was eating something.

"Elizabeth is Darcy doing any better?" Mr. Bingley asked as he walked over to Jane. She kissed his cheek.

"He's resting now but he still has a fever."

I didn't want to say more and my brother-in-law nodded knowing not to ask any more questions.

"He'll get better sister, he's strong," he told me.

I nodded surprised at how low my voice was when I spoke. "I hope you're right."

I excused myself and walked into the library. I was stunned by its majestic beauty when I first saw it and it had become one of my favorite places to be inside Pemberley. I sat in my favorite chair. The seat was a soft blue color and the back held a portrait of a rose. I grinned as a memory entered my mind.

_We had just sat down after taking a walk around the grounds. It would have been more proper to be in the parlor but we both knew this was our favorite room._

"_Fitzwilliam why is this chair different than the others?" I had asked him._

_He was sitting across from me reading the paper. He grinned as he looked up.. "Because my dear Elizabeth you are different from every other woman I have ever met and the chair reminded me of your beauty." He blushed slightly at his words._

_I blushed as I smiled at him. "I thought I was tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt you."_

"_Elizabeth you know I didn't mean what I said."_

"_I know," I said as I stood to put the book I had just finished back on its shelf. I had to walk past Fitzwilliam and as I did I let my hand brush against his arm. I thought I heard a soft gasp as I did so. I continued to the book shelf and put the one in my hand away before grabbing another. I returned the same way as I came again brushing my hand across his arm. _

_He groaned. "Elizabeth what are you doing?"_

"_What am I doing Fitzwilliam?" I asked innocently._

"_Allow me to show you," he answered as he put the paper down and stood. He walked past me brushing his fingers against my arm as I had done to him. The slightest of touch sent shivers down it. _

_I glanced over to my Aunt Gardiner who stood looking out the window. She seemed to be concentrating on the gardens. I gasped as Fitzwilliam grabbed my hand and led me to a small corner hidden from my aunt's sight. _

"_What are you doing!?" I whispered. _

"_Pardon my audacity but there's something I have wanted to do." _

"_And what do you want to do that you can't in front of my aunt?"_

_He leaned down and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. When we parted I felt as if the air had been sucked out of me. My heart jumped rapidly inside my chest as I looked upon Fitzwilliam's smoldering eyes. _

"_When we're married we won't need to skulk into corners to do that," I told him._

_His eyes lit up. "Two more days my dear."_

_I nodded. "Two more days."_

I sighed remembering how hard those two days were and how happy we were when we were pronounced husband and wife. I found myself glancing at his chair. I frowned at the fact that he wasn't in it. We always liked spending time together in the library. It was our haven. I heard the sound of someone walking up the stairs before immersing myself into the book I had grabbed. I hadn't really cared which one I picked out. I fell asleep not long after I began reading, exhausted from the previous few days with Fitzwilliam's illness. I did not hear the door creak as it opened.

"Lizzie."

"Lizzie wake up." I felt someone shake my shoulder.

I allowed my eyes to flutter open as they came to rest on Jane.

"Jane," I said softly.

After a moment I jolted up. "What's wrong is Fitzwilliam worse!?" My mind raced through all of the possibilities including the one where he might have died while I slept. My heart clenched at that thought and of my not being there with him. He couldn't be could he? I looked up into Jane's eyes but didn't see any melancholy inside of them.

"Lizzie, he's awake! The doctor said the fever broke an hour ago."

I rubbed my eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Ten hours," she answered.

"What? Why'd you let me sleep so long?"

"You were exhausted my dear Lizzie."

I nodded.

"He's been asking for you," she told me.

My eyes flew open. "He has?"

She nodded. "Georgiana is up there now with him."

I acknowledged that I had heard her with a nod of my head before standing up. She moved aside as I quickly walked past her and out the door. I passed Mrs. Reynolds on the way to the stairs. She looked as if she had been crying. Soon I was at the door. I hesitated briefly before pushing it open. I saw Georgiana sitting by the bed. She was watching her brother with a small smile upon her face. The door creaked announcing my arrival. Two pairs of eyes instantly found me.

"Elizabeth," a deep voice quietly said.

I smiled as tears slid down my cheeks. I was instantly by his side.

I took one of his hands in mine. "Fitzwilliam."

He gently squeezed my hand sending electricity throughout my entire body. Georgiana stood and kissed her brother's brow before walking towards the door. I kissed her cheek as she walked by. I knew she was only leaving to allow us some privacy. I sat in the vacant chair as I gazed upon my husband's handsome face. His cheek felt cooler as I touched it with my fingers though he was still pale.

"I'm so glad you're awake. You gave all of us an awful scare."

"I'm sorry my dear, I never meant to scare you," he said.

The doctor knocked on the door and entered. He felt of Fitzwilliam's head and cheeks and checked his pulse.

"You should stay in bed for another day or two until you fully recover but I'd say you're well on your way. Take this medicine," he told him smiling.

Fitzwilliam looked at him. "Thank you doctor."

Dr. Fields nodded his head once before handing me a bottle and leaving. I put it on the nightstand before returning my attentions to Fitzwilliam. He beckoned for me to lean over. I did so and he brushed his fingers across my cheek catching a few stranded tears that had fallen. I smiled at him as I took his hand in mine.

His brow furrowed. "I hope that you have been taking care as to not catch this."

I nodded. "Jane and Mr. Bingley have made sure that I have eaten and rested though it took much coaxing on my poor sisters side to get me to leave you these past few days that you've been unwell."

Fitzwilliam grinned. "Remind me to thank them for that."

I kissed his forehead before making to leave. "You should rest."

He firmly held my hand. "Where are you going?"

"To let you rest."

"Please stay. I'll rest much better with you by my side," he pleaded.

Looking into his eyes I couldn't resist so I resumed my seat. "I'll stay."

He smiled triumphantly before letting it fall. "I was surprised at not seeing you when I awoke."

"Jane found me in the library. I went there hoping some reading would calm me."

"And did it?"

I nodded.

He yawned. "Would you read to me?

I could see that his strength was leaving him so I picked up the book from the nightstand and began reading. Soon his eyelids began to fall as slumber started to overtake him. I smiled as I brushed some hair away from his eyes. He stirred a little as I did so.

"Love you," he murmured

"As I you."

With those two little words I knew that everything would be fine.


End file.
